Improvement in automatic boiler-feeders



UNTTE STATES.

PATENT FFTCF-O THOMAS J. SLOAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 52,898, dated February 27, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. SLOAN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for SupplyingWater to Steam-Boilers and Regulating the Supply thereof; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section in the plane of the axis of the engine-cylinder Fig. 2, an.- other vertical section in the plane of the axis of the steam-valve Fig.3, a horizontal section taken in the planeof the axis of the steamvalve; Fig. 4, a horizontal section of the cylinder in which the steam-valve works; Fig. 5, a bottom view of the steam-valve and Fig. 6, a cross vertical section at the line A of Fig. 2.

The same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

The object of my said invention is to insure a sufficient supply of water to steam-boilers at all times, whether the boiler be used to generate steam for the purpose of operating an engine or for any other purpose, and if for the purpose of operating an engine whether such engine be in operation or at rest.

The first part of my said invention consists in combining with a vessel which is to be connected with a steam-boiler both above the high and below the low water mark a throttle-valve connected with a float to control the passage of the steam from the said vessel to the steam chest of a pumping-engine which is to supply water to the boiler, and a valve for giving steam to the engine, which valve is itself operated by steam, and which is soformed as to stop the exhaust of the steam by which it is operated to leave a sufficient supply within its cylinder to cushion against, and thus insure the proper working thereof and prevent it from slamming, thus rendering the apparatus self-operating to regulate the supply of water to steam-boilers.

My said invention also consists in operating the valve of the engine by a mechanism inclosed in the steam-chest and extending from the steam-chest into the cylinder of the engine to be actuated by the piston.

My said invention also consists in composing the engine and pump of two pistons connected by a piston-rod extending from one to the other, the pistons being fitted to work in a cylinder provided with a head at each end and a diaphragm or partition in the middle of its length and between the two pistons, and combined with the steam-chest and steamand exhaust valves for the admission of steam to and exhausting it from the cylinder at each end between the pistons and the heads of the cylinder, and with induction and eduction valves communicating with the cylinder between the diaphragm or partition and the two pistons, the cylinder of the engine being surrounded by a steam-chamber communicating with the boiler to maintain it in a heated state.

In the accompanying drawings, or represents a vessel which communicates freely with the boiler by means of two pipes, b b, one above the high-water mark and the other below it, so that the water and steam shall be at the same level in the said vessel as in the boiler.

Within the vessel a, and as near the upper part thereof as convenient, is placed the cylindercofthe engine and pump, so that thesteam in the vessel shall surroundit. For the convenience of repairs theheads d d of this cylinder are outside of the vessel a. The cylinder is divided into two compartments by a partition or diaphragm, e, placed in the middle of its length, and each of the two compartments of the cylinder is fitted with a piston,f, the two being connected to move together by a pistonrod, g, fitted to slide water-tight in a central hole in the partition 0. The cylinder is provided with steam and exhaust ports near each end, as is usual in engines with a single piston. And both compartments of the cylinder, near the partition 0, are provided with ports leadingto induction and eduction water-valves, the induction water-valves communicating by suitable pipes with the hot-well, or withany other suitable reservoirof heated water, and .the eduction-valves communicating with the boiler in the usual manner for supplying water to the boiler.

Above the engine there is a steam-chest, h, with steam ports and ways t t' and exhaust-way j, for the admission and discharge of the steam to and from the cylinder. These ports are formed through the lower part of a horizontal hollow cylinder, 7c, which makes part of the steam-chest, and within this cylinder k is fitted a hollow cylindrical piston-valve, 1, both ends of which are closed. The upper middle portion of the cylinder k and cylindrical valve l are open, as at m, that the steam in the steamchest may have free access to the inside of the valve Z, and thence to pass through the steamports a of the valve, when in the required position, to the steam-ports leading to the engine. The steam-valve l isv moved longitudinally to admit steam to work the engine by the steam in the steam-chest, and for this purpose steam is admitted alternately to the opposite ends of the hollow cylinderJc, beyond the ends,of the piston-valve I, through apertures or ports 0 0 made through the said valve 1. This is accomplished in the following manner: Near each end the hollow cylinder is formed-with a cavity, 19 11, extending to the ends thereof, and

when: the valve l is turned, on its axis to the rightthe port 0 in thevalve communicates with the cavity 1) in one end of the cylindenk,

vand in that position of the valve theother port,

o,: does not communicate with the cavity 17' at the-other end of the cylinder is, and steam will thenbe admitted tothat end of the cylinder 70 to'forcethevalve Z to theopposite end of the cylinderlc, and then, by turning thevalve Z in :the opposite-direction,, the port onwill be turned away from the cavity. 19 to shut 011' the steam fromthat end, and the port 0 will com- JlllllllCEltB with .thecavityp at the other end to admit steam to the opposite endof the cylderJc to move-the valve in; the opposite direction. But when steam is admitted. to one end of the cylinder is it must be exhausted from the other end'to permitithe valve to be moved.

.For this latter purpose there are .two other cavities or ways, q. q, made in thecylinder 7c, one near each, end, and extending to Within a short distance of theends of the cylinder; and in the outer surface of the valve 1 there are two cavities or ways, r 4, one near each end, andso located relatively to theways q q in the cylinder and ;to the main exhaust-passage j thatwvhen the .valveisturned to admit steam to one end of the cylinder-Fsay through the port 0--the cavity, 4* in the valvewill connect the cavity. q in the cylinder kwith the way exhaust-passage j, to exhaust steam from the opposite endofthe cylinder, and vice v'ersa- As stated before, the small exhaust-cavities qqndo not extend to the ends of the cylinder k, so that the;moment the end of the valve passes overthe extreme outer end of the cavity the passage of the steam from the cylinder 70; to the exhaust is closed, thus;leaving sufli- .cientsteam in the cylinder and beyond the connected at their upper ends by a bar, t, notch-ed uout=to embrace a rod, u, which extends across the aperture m in the valve, so that the valve will be turned by the vibration of either of the said levers. The journals n of these levers rest and turn in semi-cylindrical cavities, as boxes, in the bottom of the steamchest, and apertures w w are formed in the bottom of these boxes, and extending through to the inside of the steam-cylinder of the engine, and the lower arms of the said levers s -s extend down through these apertures to the inside'of the cylinder of the engine, and one at each end, so that when the pistons reach the end of their strokes first one and then the other of,the said levers is struck and vibrated in one direction and then the other in the opposite direction, and as both leversare connected by the bant, and thisv bar is connected with the valve 1, the required turning of .this

valve alternately in opposite directions is effected at the times required bythereciprocatingmotions' of the pistons Without any mechanism extending outside ot'the steamcylinder and steam-chest.

The steam for workin g the engineis taken ;from the vessel ct through asteam-pipem, extending from the upper part of. the said vessel to the-steam-chest, which pipe is provided with athrottle-valve, y, :whichl prefer to make in the form of what is well-known as a balancethrottle, and to this valve is connected a float, 2, so thatwhen the water is above a certain level in the boiler. and in the vessel or the float z kecpsthe throttle closed, and the pumping-engine, not being supplied with steam, will remain at rest; but the moment the water gets below the required level the float descends,

plied to the boiler.

In this way the boilerwill at all times receive therequired supply of .water for What- 'ever purpose steam may be generated, and

however negligent the engineer may be.

As the exhausting of the steam that has operated the valve is onlypartiahleaving a sufficient quantity of itfor the valve to cushion against, there will be no slamming, and theengine will WOIk smooth and without noise; and as the pumping-engine and all its connections are entirely inclosed, the wearingof the parts in consequence of the deposit of dust and ashes,heretoiore experienced inengiues .for supplying boilers, is successfully avoided.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the vessel to be connected with a steam-boiler above the high- Water mark and below the low-water mark, the throttle-valve in the pipe which conveys steam to the steam-chest of the pumping-engine, the said valve being controlled by a float, the

I steam-chest of a pumping-engine for supplying the boiler, and the valve operated by'steam and provided with an exhaust substantially such as described, the combination being sub stantially such as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The devices, substantially as herein described, for exhausting the steam which operates the steam-valve of the engine, to insure the proper working of the valve and prevent it from slamming, as set forth.

3. Operating the valve to take the steam by which it is shifted to give steam to the engine by the mechanism, substantially as described, 

